Shaft-rotating means.



F. UAMERUN. SHAFT ROTATING MEANS. APPLIOAITION FILED APR.11, 1910,

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Patented'J une 16,1914.

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' I In eW F. 0. CAMERON. SHAFT ROTATING MEANS. APPLICATION FILED APR.11,191 0.

- Patented June '16, 1914 2 SHEETSSHEET 2 I JI /gin or UNITE-D sratrnsPATENT ()FFICE.

men 0. CAMERON, or Ga ma, ILLINOIS, assro voa TdBdDGER BALLAST can 1comrmvma CORPORATION or MAINE.

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for use in connection with brakes for ra-il way cars'to be operated byhand; the ob 'ject of the invention being to provide a device that willafford a great leverage when it is desired to apply the brakes, and atthe same time present a construction that Wlll normally be in aninoperative position and out of the way of passing objects or out of theway of objects that are being passed by the car on which the mechanismis located.

In the drawings-wherein my invention is illustrated in connection withthe rotating shaft of a hand brake-Figure 1 is a perspective view of myinvention with the hand lever shown raised in operative position; aportion of the'mechanism and lever being broken away. Fig, 2 is a topplan view of the same. Fig. 3 is aside elevation of my invention. Fig. 4is a longitudinal sectional view taken on the line A B of Fig. 3,looking toward the right. Fig. 5 is 'a side elevation looking at theright hand or operating lever side of Fig. 3.

The invention is illustrated as applied to the brake shaft on the sideof a railway car, 1 being the shaft to be rotated and about which thechain is usually wound. This shaft is'suitably mounted on the side ofthe car, as for ex mpl by bra ket 2;

extend about the shaft above and below the bearing portion of bracket 2and thereby maintain the member in proper position on th shaft; thebifurcated end preventing the member 3 from either dropping down orsliding off of shaft 1.

Specification of Letters Patent. v Patented June 16, 1914; Applicationfiled April 11, 1910. Serial N0. 554,602- v This member 3 has anoperating device in the nature of a lever or drop brake handle 6pivotally mounted thereon; the lever or brake handle is mounted. on themember 3 so as to assume a normal position by gravity, that is, handle 6is free to drop into a position parallel with shaft 1, as

indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, when not in operation. The end ofthis lever or drop brake handle 6 extends beyond the pivotal oint toform a am 7, see Fig. 1

and also shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. Member 3 also has pivotallymounted thereon a gravity-actuated member or pawl 8 whose engaging endswings into operative .pdsitionby reason of the weight of its free end9; this free end 9 of the pawl 8 extends downward to be engaged by thecam 7 of the lever or drop brake handle 6, when the latter is dropped toa vertical position. The pawl therefore, in the exemplification,constitutes the means whereby the member 3 is placed into operativerelation with shaft or staff 1. Properly secured on the end of theshaft 1. is a ratchet wheel 10 with its teeth presented downwardly asshown, to be engaged by the 'paWl 8 when the mechanism is in operativeposition. I have shown the shaft 1 squared to take into the squaropeningin the hub of ratchet wheel 10, while the end of the shaft may bescrewthreaded, as shQWn, to receive the nut 11 whereby the ratchet wheel10 is held down into place; and a cotter pin 12 may be employed toprevent the nut 11 from working loose.

Suitably mounted on the frame of the car or other supporting means, is agravityactnated pawl 13, arranged to engage with the ratchet 10 and lockthe ratchet wheel against rotation in one direction. The free or tailend of this pawl 13 is engaged by the dog 141 which is also mounted onthe side of the car. When this dog 14 .is dropped down in the positionshown in Fig. 3, it engages with the free end of pawl 13 and holds theengaging end of the pawl 13 in engagement with the ratchet wheel 10.thereby preventin its rotation and the r0- tation of the shaf tion fromthat in which the shaft is rotated by said member 3. p I

The operation of the mechanism is as fpllows z- When it is desired torotate the shaft t 1 in an opposite 'direc-' or stafi and apply thebrakes, the lever or drop brake handle 6 is lifted into the horizontalposition shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3,

therebyswinging cam 7 out of engagement with the free end 9 of pawl 8,allowing pawl 8by reason of the weight of end 9 to come into engagementwith ratchet wheel 10. By swinging lever or drop brake handle 6 in ahorizontal direction it is apparent that member 3 will also be movedtherewith, thereby forcing ratchet wheel 10 to turn through theengagement of awl 8 therewith. The turningof. ratchet wheel 10, ofcourse, turns shaft 1 in a similar manner and applies the brakes. Duringthis operation dog 14 is placed in the position shown in Fig.3, that is,in engagement with the free end of pawl 13, thereby swinging this pawl13 upward into engagement with the ratchet wheel 10, and holding thelatter, together with shaft 1, against rotation in the reversedirection. Pawl 13 is of course so mounted as to engage with the ratchetwheel 10 to the opposite sides of that with which pawl 8 engages, so asto be out of the way of this pawl 8 and the oscillating member 3. Afterthe shaft has been rotated sufficiently, lever or drop brake handle 6 isreleased, permittin it to drop downward into the position s own indotted lines in Fig. 3; this will bring cam 7 into engagement with thefree end 9 of pawl 8 and rock the latter on its pivotal point out ofengagement with the ratchet wheel 10, swinging the. free end of pawl 8above its normal horizontal plane, thus placing the mechanism in aninoperative condition. This prevents any accidental operation of theshaft while the lever is in its vertical position. The ratchet wheel 10together with shaft 1 will be held in the rotated position by the pawl13 which is maintained in engagement with the ratchet wheel 10 by thedog 14. When it is desired to release the shaft and thereby release thebrakes, it is-simply necessary to lift dog 14 to a vertical position,permitting pawl 13 to be disengaged from ratchet wheel 10, when theratchet wheel 10 and shaftl are free to retate back to normal position.A'spawl8- is yieldingly held in engagementwith ratchet wheel 10. by theaction of gravity, it is apparent that the pawl-is free to ride over theteeth of the ratchet during one stroke'in the oscillation of the member3; theshaft being I rotated during the other stroke in the oscillationof member 3.

My improved device is illustrated asmore especially adapted for use inoperating a brake'shaft, but it is apparent'that it may be employed inother connections; and'furthermore, the mechanism may be altered in anumber of minor details without departing from the spirit of myinvention.

Having thus described my invention, what mo es-is I claim and wish tosecure by Letters Patent, is p 1. In combination with a rotatablymounted shaft, a member loosely mounted on said shaft, mechanismintermediate of said memher and shaft whereby the two are operativelyconnected together, and a lever pivotally mounted-on said member wherebythe latter may be rotated, said lever being arranged to engage with themechanism and effect the operative connection between said member andthe shaft when the lever is released.

2. In combination with a shaft adapted to be rotated, a member looselymounted on said shaft, a second member pivotally mounted on said firstmember and arranged to automatically move into operative connection withthe shaft, and an operating device pivotally connected with said memberwhereby the latter together with the shaft may be operated.

3. In combination with a shaftto be rotated, a member loosely mounted onsaid shaft and adapted to oscillate about the same, and pivotallymounted gravity-actuated mechanism intermediate of said memtated duringone stroke or oscillation of said member.

4. In a device of the class described, a shaft adapted to be rotated, amember loosely mounted on said shaft and arranged to oscillate,mechanism mounted on said member adapted to swing into engagementwithsaid shaft, and a lever pivoted on said member whereby the latter may beoscillated, said lever being arranged to drop into a vertical positionand move the mechanism out of operative engagement with the shaft.

5. Means for rotating a shaft comprising a member loosely mounted on theshaft to be rotated, an operating device carried by said member andnormally depending in an inoperative position, and loosely mountedmechanism arranged to form operative engagement between the member andthe shaft when said device is brought up into operative position, anddisconnect said engagement automatically when the device is released. C'

6. Means for rotating 'a shaft comprising a member loosely mounted onthe shaft to be rotated,. an operating device carried by said member andnormally depending in an inoperative position, and mechanism pivotallymounted on said member and adapted to automatically swing intoengagement with the sliaft when the operating device is brought upwardintooperative position.

7.. MeansfOr rotating a brake-shaft comprising the rotatable shaft, amember loosely mounted on said shaft and adapted to be oscillated, apawland ratchet connection between said member and the shaft arrangedtoy'rotate the shaft during one stroke of said member, the pawl beingloosely mounted on said-"member, a lever pivoted to said memberandnormally holding said pawl out of engagement with the ratchet, andmechanism adapted to engage with the ratchet whereby the shaft isheld"against' rotation during the idle stroke of the member.

8. In-combination with a shaft to be r0- tated, a member loosely mountedand adapted to oscillate about said shaft, gravitycontrolled mechanismmounted on said mem-.

.pawl mounted on said member and arranged to swing into operativeengagement with the ratchet wheel, and a lever pivotally mounted on saidmember, normally depending in a position parallel with the shaft andholding the pawl out of engagement with the ratchet Wheel until thelever is raised into operative position, and means for holding the shaftin its rotated position.

-10. In combination with a shaft tobe ro-' tated, a member adapted tooscillate about said shaft, meanswhereby the member may be placed intooperati e relation with the shaft, a lever pivotally mounted on saidmember and arranged to engage withsaid means and automatically controlthe operative relation between the member and the shaft, and means forautomatically holding the shaft against rotation in one direction.

11. In combination with a shaft to be ro-- tated, a member adapted tooscillate about the shaft and arrangedto have operative relation withthe shaft, a lever pivoted to said member and arranged to control theoperative relation between said member and shaft, and gravity actuatedmeans whereby the shaft is locked in position.

12. In combination with a shaft tobe rotated,a member looselymounted onthe shaft. a le'ver'pivoted on said member, a pawl carried by saidmember arranged to form an operative relation between the member and theshaft, and gravity-actuated mechanism whereby the shaft is lockedagainst rotation in one direction.

13. In combination with. a shaft to be rotated, a member loosely mountedon and arranged to oscillate about the shaft, a pawl carried by saidmember. whereby one. stroke or oscillation of the member will rotatesaid shaft,'a lever pivoted to said member normally depending beneaththe member and holding the pawl out of operative position,

and gravity-actuated mechanism whereby the shaft is locked againstrotation in one direction. v

14. In combination with a shaft to be rotated, a member loosely mountedand adapted to oscillate about said shaft, mechanism carried by saidmember whereby a yielding connection between the member and the shaftmay be 'estabished, a gravity actuated lever pivoted to said member andarranged to automatically break said yielding connec-' tion when thelever is released, means whereby said member isheld in position on theshaft, and gravity-actuated locking mechanism whereby the shaft is heldagainst rotation in one direction.

15. The combination with a rod or staff having a ratchet thereon, apivoted pawl lever for engagement with the ratchet, and

a drop brake handle having a cam portion adapted to free the pawl fromthe ratchet by its dropping movement, substantially asdescribed.

16. The combination with a rod or staff having a ratchet and a pivotedpawl device 5 for engagement with the. ratchet, of a pivoted handlehaving a horizontal operative position and a dropped vertical normalposition, the I handle being mounted to assume a-normal po-' sition bygravity and also having a portion arranged to effect the release of thepawl from the ratchet when the handle is dropped, substantially asdescribed.

17. The combination with a rod or staff having a ratchet thereon, a pawllever for engagement with the ratchet, and "a drop brake handle having acam portion adapted to free the pawl from the ratchet by its engagementwith said pawl when the handle drops by avity, substantially asdescribed.

18. Bra e actuating mechanism including 'a-brake staff, a ratchet wheelsecured therebrake applying lever having pivotal connection with thesaid means and which lever is adapted to occupy either a vertical or ahorizontal position, and the said lever being provided with means beyondits pivot for engaging the said pawl to retract the same to disengage itfrom the said ratchet wheel when the said lever dropped into-verticalposition, and means for moving the 'said' pawl into engagement with thesaid ratchet wheel when the said leveris moved intohorizontal position.FRED C. CAMERON. Witnesses:

W, E. MOREY,K HUGH B. HATCH.

